Video calls showing off the progress of a marijuana crop at a Monessen home have resulted in charges against two people, one of whom authorities said participated in the calls from the Westmoreland County Prison, according to court papers.
Sydney Sayles, 23, of McKeesport, and Jaamayl A. Crosby, 38, of Monessen, are facing drug and child endangerment charges.
Westmoreland County detectives reviewed several video conversations between the two in May during which Sayles is seen showing Crosby numerous marijuana plants, irrigation and ventilation systems and grow lights in the Graham Avenue house. A child is seen walking around in the grow room, police said.
“They talk about the buds and Sayles shows Crosby individual buds on camera to impress Crosby with how good they are responding to the grow room,” Detective James Williams wrote in the complaint.
Some of the video calls showed Sayles telling Crosby she was headed to check on his plants and then use a key to get into the house. Authorities visited Crosby’s address and found the same home shown on the video calls.
“In the video chat, Crosby is seen calling other inmates over to the screen to show them the plants they were growing,” Williams said.
Crosby was jailed at the Hempfield lockup on April 27 on out-of-county detainers and a March arrest in Monessen. Inmates are notified that calls are recorded and monitored.
A search warrant was executed at the property June 12. City police and detectives found the plants and grow room seen in the video calls, according to court papers.
Both Sayles and Crosby were awaiting arraignment.